High Performance Computing in Laptop Environment

MNB Technologies’ unique approach enables fully automated ad hoc clustering of hardware accelerated notebook computers into mission-focused high performance service oriented architectures. Initially targeting computationally intensive applications such as genetic algorithm-based route planning and rigerous image registration, the new system family will ultimately find strategically important use across the entire warfighting community and a wide range of civilian applications. The hardware side of the approach uses small footprint (PCMCIA and Drive Bay) FPGA-based accelerators that communicate not only through their hosts’ Ethernet but also through a novel NUMA-like shared memory enabled by a switchless/hubless optical ring local network. Innovative middleware automates cluster setup, configuration, service publication & discovery, and automatic fault detection & rollover. The result is a high performance, high availability system suitable for mission-critical use with forward deployed forces. Outside the DoD the system brings HPC class performance to disadvantaged users and to field-deployed applications requiring robust portable execution platforms, for example: modeling & simulation for disaster management, portable bio-analysis laboratories, and earth-resource exploration.